Choice and Duty
by TheMoonclaw
Summary: And everything in between. Izayoi doesn't have the patience for any of it and she intends to remedy a situation between two people she knows...
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

**Oh hey, it's me again! You know what? The disclaimer goes here. You know the one, the one that says I don't own anything? Yes, that's the one. It goes *here*.**

**Anyway, I will not lie. This fic is written for Mythweaver. (Avoid messaging her, or else you will suffer the same fate as I...) It has everything she likes! Ninjas and summoners and...well, it has everything she likes...**

**It is helpful if you have read my other story 'Fire and Ice' before this, since I consider this to come pretty much directly after it. **

**I'm not 100% happy with this story, but...I'm a little tired of working on it, so here it is! ****I've split it into 2 parts, the next one is already done and will be added shortly.**

**Read on!**

* * *

The door slammed shut so hard it rattled the candle sticks mounted on the walls.

After the noise, a complete silence took over and the Eblan Four all exchanged a few glances.

Tsukinowa was first to break the silence, "Whoa," he whispered, wincing.

"Didn't he just come from Mist? Isn't he usually in a better mood after he's visited Rydia?" Zangestu asked.

Tsukinowa shrugged, "Maybe they had a fight,"

"They always fight,"

The boy frowned, "Well, maybe this one was actually like, a _real_ fight."

They all glanced at the door, and then looked away in unison.

"You should talk to him."

It took a minute for Izayoi to figure out Gekkou was talking to her and when she did, she frowned, "Why me?"

"Uh, because you're his cousin," Tsukinowa replied in a tone of obviousness.

She raised her chin, "I'm a ninja first,"

"Whatever," the boy muttered, rolling his eyes. She glared at him as Zangestu shrugged, "Maybe we should just wait before we do anything. There may be nothing to worry about."

* * *

It was after three days that the other three ninjas convinced Izayoi to talk to her cousin, and she finally agreed when there had been burn marks along a wall in one of the training rooms. There hadn't magical mishaps in years, and it was a sure sign of her cousin's bad mood.

Izayoi sighed, standing outside the door to the same training room, wondering what she was going to say. She didn't know what had happened, so it would be difficult to accurately speak to him.

She looked over her shoulder, using her expression without words to plead to the others to go instead.

Tsukinowa made a shooing motion and Gekkou and Zangestu both nodded encouragingly at her.

She turned back and sighed once more before entering the room, seeing her cousin and target sitting on a windowsill causally tossing shurikens across the room.

She could tell her mission was going to be a disaster from that moment on, his expression and posture were all the signs she needed.

There was an awkward pause; Izayoi knew he knew she was here, but he hadn't said anything or even looked her way. She steeled herself and walked over, asking, "May I join you?"

Edge shrugged, haphazardly throwing another weapon.

There was just enough room on the sill for her to sit on one corner and she watched him for a second, biting back a comment about his terrible form.

Another one embedded in the target across the room before she spoke up, "…You seem…" she trailed off, already lost as to what she wanted to say.

This would not be an enjoyable talk.

"You can say it Izayoi," he muttered, still not looking at her.

With his invitation, she spoke her mind.

"You've been like a spiting ettin snake the last few days. Skipping between being angry and depressed in the blink of an eye. If I may be bold?" she asked before continuing.

Edge rolled his eyes, "Now you ask first? When have you ever not spoken your mind…?"

She frowned, but went on, "Honestly I'm not certain what your problem is. Usually you're all smiles when you get back from Mist. I and the others assume you and Rydia had some sort of fight, but I don't get why it's affected you this much. You two always fight."

He flung another shuriken and gave a short laugh, "Oh, this was different."

His bad attitude and evasive comments grated on her nerves and she stood so she could look at him, one hand on her hip, "Was it now? Well, here's what I think; you're being a stubborn fool by not going back and making up with her. Whatever this fight was about it's not worth losing the summoner over, is it? I think not."

"She's engaged." Edge said, interrupting her lecture.

Izayoi paused mid sentence, "She…what?"

"She's engaged," he repeated slowly, the resentment in his voice thinly disguised.

She blinked, all her compelling words fleeing in an instant.

"Too whom?"

He shrugged, the last of his stash of shurikens flying across the room, "Someone other than me,"

There was an uncomfortable pause, and Izayoi shook away her confusion; it was not a sensation she enjoyed.

"But, surely-"

"There's nothing more to be said," he countered, looking at her for the first time.

She snapped her mouth closed, respecting his authority even if she wanted to find out more. He slid off the windowsill and stalked out of the room, leaving Izayoi alone and doubly confused. She sat down and crossed her arms, staring across the room at the now blackened wall from an earlier session with Edge.

Izayoi was surprised to find herself angry. She rarely got to that point, but she was disappointed in High Summoner Rydia. The woman had earned her respect, but now she'd lost it. Who did she think she was to toy with her cousin like that?

They were a prefect match, the two of them. She could actually tolerate him and he didn't get bored with her. They could carry on a conversation, more often then not an argument, for hours. He trusted her, and she trusted him and Izayoi had rarely seen her cousin act the way he did with Rydia, so open and, plainly, _happy_.

"_I need answers, and Edge isn't going to give them to me_." she decided, resolved to not simply let this go here and now. If he wouldn't talk to her, then she would go to someone who would; someone she didn't take orders from.

* * *

It was difficult to avoid the other three members of the Eblan Four, and this startled Izayoi. When had they become her shadows? But, she supposed she was their shadow too considering how much time the four of them spent together.

Two years ago they couldn't stand one another and in less then ten minutes were bickering. Now she realized she felt bad for avoiding them and this surprised her.

"_I guess we really are a team_…"

Izayoi wasn't sure how she felt about that.

Tsukinowa was cheeky and got distracted easily, Zangestu was chatty and told too many stories for her tastes, Gekkou could get fixated on something to the point where she wanted to smack him, but they were all good people, and she trusted them.

Maybe that's why she felt so bad for sneaking out of Eblan without telling them in the middle of the night.

She knew they would want to come with her, but then Edge was bound to notice their absence.

This was actually her first time sneaking out of the castle and city without a set of orders to go with her. She had always been the 'good' one, the one that did what she was supposed too, the one that never got into trouble, except for that one time in Troia when she was a teenager.

Izayoi had to admit, the sheer mischief of it all was an interesting feeling. Maybe that's why her cousin was always doing stupid things he wasn't supposed too.

Like falling for exotic, powerful, green haired women from other countries.

She had just crossed over the main bridge and was about to step onto the fields outside when a voice stopped her.

"Going somewhere?"

She stopped and winced before spinning around to the familiar voice and smirking, "Gate duty again Gekkou?"

He shrugged, "It gives me time to think."

Izayoi paused, and then sighed, "Are you going to stop me?"

"Do I need to?" he asked back calmly.

She blinked, and he added, "You know something we do not, but I trust you to tell us when you think we need to know. As for leaving, I have an idea of where you intend to go."

"Are you going to tell anyone?" Izayoi questioned.

Gekkou shook his head, "Not master Edge."

She smiled a little and tugged her hood into place, "Thank you."

He nodded and with that she was off into the night, prepared for the somewhat long and most likely boring trip to Mist.

* * *

The entrance to the Mist Cavern stood before her and the woman appraised it calmly. She had never actually been to Mist. She'd been this far once before, but Rydia had insisted she go to the village alone past this point. Izayoi had heard stories, of course, about the caves being haunted, about the strange people who supposedly lived on the other side of them. Summoners were the stuff of legends, of misty myths that probably had little to no actual fact in them.

She had to admit, though, the cave was an eerie place; dark and damp with so much vapor you couldn't see straight. Through the haze you might think you saw something, but you couldn't be sure.

Of course, that kind of thinking was for superstitious people, and Izayoi was no such person.

The cavern went through the middle of one of the mountains, and before long she had come across an underground stream that gurgled by in a more serene way then creepy. But it was after she crossed a thin stone bridge and an extra thick mist rolled past her ankles as if creeping along the ground.

She watched it for a second, but then her attention was diverted by a flash of something to her left.

By the time she had turned and drawn her blade, the fog had obscured everything, blocking all ways and making it impossible to tell which way she was heading and which way she had come from.

So this was what made the cavern so impassable.

"_State your intensions for passing through my domain," _a soft voice whispered from somewhere close by.

It was laced with magic and Izayoi frowned, "I would like to know who I speak with,"

"_I am the guardian of this village, chosen Eidolon of the High Summoner, I am Mist Dragon_."

She couldn't help but smirk; "_Now I'm getting somewhere_!"

"I see," she said aloud, sheathing her weapon, "I intend to pass through your cavern, mighty dragon."

"_Why_?" the voice asked, this time coming from behind her.

Izayoi paused, "To speak with your High Summoner."

At first, there was no answer, but then the voice came again with a hint of amusement in it, "_Speak with, or yell at_?"

The dark haired woman frowned, not entirely sure how to answer that question when the dragon spoke again.

"_Rydia is preoccupied. Turn back_."

"Preoccupied?" Izayoi repeated, "_Like hell_."

The mists shivered round her and she sighed, "I need to see her, I mean you and the village no harm."

"_Turn back, daughter of shadows. You may not mean the village harm, but you would do damage to my summoner_."

"I will leave my weapons here if that is your custom,"

"_There are other ways to injure without the use of swords_."

Izayoi frowned again and looked around the cavern, finding it difficult to talk to someone who was both nowhere and everywhere at once.

"Is it right that she can cause this harm you speak of, then? Is that fair?" Izayoi snapped, "She has answers to questions that I must ask. Will you let me pass?"

The mists swirled in front of her and for a brief moment she glimpsed the shape of a dragon before it faded from sight.

"_If I stand against you, would you fight me_?"

"No," she replied, "I would find another way around."

The room was filled with a chiming laughter, "_Ah, you are most witty, one of water, most charming, as well_."

"I thank you for the flattery." she said, finding this conversation entertaining.

The vapors parted and the way became clear once more, a whisper of a voice leading her onward into the last bit of the cave, "_I shall allow you passage, but please be kind to my dear summoner._"

Izayoi made no promises as she continued along her way, wondering why the Eidolon seemed so set on making it sound like this wasn't Rydia's fault. She was finding it difficult to not harbor any ill will towards the green hair woman and her ridiculous decision.

Izayoi squinted at the bright light as she exited the cave, and after her eyes adjusted, she took in the scenery.

There was most definitely a reason this place was called Mist; the substance rolled off the hills and mountain tops that surrounded the valley, it pooled around trees and floated above rivers. The land around her contained a thick layer of vegetation, and even the mountains that hid the desert from view, were mostly covered in trees.

Izayoi found slight amusement that someone with green hair would grow up here. It was almost as if she had been born out of nature itself.

With a sigh she realized it would take her at least an hour to reach the village she could see in the distance, and she began her downward trip into the heart of the valley from the rocky ledge.

It was a pleasant journey, at least, filled with birdsongs and sunshine and a crispy wind that would occasional ruffle the leaves of nearby trees, but for all it's beauty Izayoi was too irritated to enjoy it.

Most people wouldn't see her anger if they looked at her, she always kept an outward calm, but those that knew her well, those that knew where to look, could see it.

She was unable to mask the cold fire in her eyes whenever she was truly enraged, and the woman was curious if Rydia would notice her fury or not.

There was a rustle from some of the underbrush and she drew her weapon on impulse, having expected at least one foolish monster to challenge her.

She stalked towards the noise, stepping lightly even in the unfamiliar territory.

Another rustle and she poised her katana elegantly, holding it delicately in hand in case she had to adjust the height for the height of the monster.

But when the ferns parted all that stepped out was a little girl with teal hair and a basket in hand.

She looked up, glanced at the blade and then at Izayoi and tipped her head to one side, "Were you planning on stabbing me?"

The question caught Izayoi off guard and she lowered her sword, "…No, I…thought you might have been a monster."

The little girl nodded, "That makes sense."

There was an awkward pause and Izayoi found herself intrigued by the calm manner of the child. Most would have screamed, run, or cry, possibly all at once, but few would have merely assessed the situation so logically.

"Are you from Eblan?" the girl asked.

She blinked, surprised, "Yes, how did you know?"

The child pointed at her weapon, "Thin blade, to long to be even a Baron long sword. Clothes too boring to be Mysidian."

To say she was impressed would be an understatement. This little girl was extremely perceptive.

She smiled, "And, you look kind of like Edge."

"He's my cousin," Izayoi explained.

The child's unnaturally bright blue eyes searched the ground for a moment, "Cousin, a familial relationship." she stated as if reading it out of a textbook.

The dark hair woman raised an eyebrow, puzzled, and the little girl looked back up, asking, "Does that mean you're a princess?"

The question made her laugh, but also made her pause to think, "Well…I suppose it might."

The little girl nodded and then jumped, "Oh! I forgot, my name is Cuore." she said, smiling shyly.

Izayoi smiled back and knelt in front of her, "Nice to meet you, little Cuore. I'm Izayoi."

"Iz-a-yoi," Cuore repeated slowly, rolling the name along her tongue a few times.

For some reason, this action and the rest of the girl's eclectic traits made her seem utterly adorable.

"Oh! I sent a letter to you," the girl said, smiling up at her.

She nodded, "So you did, and what a clever plan you came up with."

It had been the child who came up with the final push to try and get two certain people together once and for all.

Izayoi had always wondered exactly how that letter had made it to her, but she decided that was a conversation for another time.

"Are you here to visit Rydia?" Cuore asked, blinking.

Izayoi sighed, "Yes, I was."

"That's good, maybe it will make her happy." the teal haired girl mumbled sadly, looking towards the village, "She's been sad lately…"

She frowned, but Cuore continued, "Is Edge coming to visit soon? Rydia's always happier when he's here."

"…No, I'm afraid not."

"Oh," the little girl sounded disappointed, "he didn't say goodbye to me last time he left, which is odd. He _always_ says goodbye."

Feeling as though she needed to defend her cousin's actions, she spoke up, "Things can get terribly hectic back home if he's not around, and I'm sure that's why he left so quickly and missed saying goodbye to you."

Cuore nodded, "That makes sense." She brightened, "Do you want me to show you to the village?"

"That would be good," Izayoi said, standing up.

"Great! I'll show you the fastest way to get there," she announced proudly, skipping forward before stopping and turning back, a timid expression on her face, "Can you not tell Rydia I was out here? She doesn't like me leaving the village without her."

"Then why did you?" Izayoi asked.

Cuore glanced into the bushes she had emerged from, "A few days ago I found an injured Zu. It's wing was broken."

"A Zu?" she questioned, eyes flickering into the trees.

"A baby," Cuore added quickly, "It wouldn't hurt anyone…Well, not right now, anyway. I've been taking care of it."

Izayoi smirked and bowed her head, "You have my word, Rydia won't hear anything from me."

Cuore smiled and grabbed her hand, "Thanks! You're good at keeping secrets, just like Edge."

Izayoi tried not to snicker as the girl pulled her along a pathway, basket swinging in her other hand.

She had figured it out that this was the little Maenad child Rydia had brought back from the moon. It had been an unpopular choice among other members of the group who were concerned the girl would prove to be more Maenad then child. Rydia had merely tossed her hair and declared that she didn't care and that the child was coming with her.

Izayoi had admired her for her resolve, but she had secretly worried the skeptics would turn out to be correct.

However, the little girl before her was nothing but cute, with her bobbed teal hair and innocent blue eyes. Their fears seemed unfounded now.

They passed through the archway and into the village, Izayoi taking a moment to scan the area. And it truly only took her a moment; people weren't kidding when they said it was a small town.

"That's our item shop, and that's our inn, although no one ever stays there except Edge when he comes to visit."

Izayoi smirked as the girl rattled off her tour, and decided that if her cousin was ever in a good mood again, she'd tease him about not just staying with Rydia.

"And that's the well," Cuore said, pointing at one last house, "And that's where I live, and Rydia lives. Isn't it pretty? Rydia grew those flowers, I got to help her."

"It's a very nice house." Izayoi agreed, nodding.

Cuore let go of her hand and looked up, "But, I don't think she's home right now. I think she's still meeting with the mayor. They've been talking a lot lately."

Izayoi's eyes narrowed and she tapped her fingertips against one leg, "I see…"

"But its okay, I can stay with you while we wait for her." the girl offered, smiling.

The dark haired woman frowned, "I appreciate the offer, Cuore, but wouldn't you rather play with your friends?"

She tipped her head to a group of child laughing and running in a small field by the well, but the Maenad girl's smile faded and she dropped her gaze, "I don't have any friends."

"You don't?"

She shook her head, "I used to be best friends with Sarah," she explained, pointing to one of the children, a little girl in a red dress with brown pigtails, "but she said we couldn't be friends anymore."

"Why not?" Izayoi asked, glaring at this Sarah girl.

Cuore shrugged, "I don't know, I think it's because I'm not like them. I'm…different." she said quietly.

This information didn't sit well with her, but she was already overloaded with problems to solve and she wasn't sure she wanted to get in the middle of something like this. It might just be kids being kids, but something deep down told her it was far more than that.

"Oh, there's Rydia," Cuore said.

Izayoi glanced up at the sound of a door being slammed and saw Rydia, green hair a mess as usual, spin away from a door with an angry look on her face and tears in her eyes.

The summoner's eyes caught hers and she halted, quickly flicking away a teardrop from her cheek and schooling her expression.

But it was too late; Izayoi had seen it and she narrowed her eyes, wondering what was going on.

Cuore skipped over, and Rydia met her halfway, sparing a glare at Izayoi.

"You shouldn't be here!" she hissed.

The woman scowled at her, "I'm already here,"

The summoner rolled her eyes but there was a flurry of movement as a woman dressed in pale green ran up calling, "High Summoner! Someone said they saw-"

She came to a stop and eyed Izayoi fearfully, making the woman wonder what her problem was.

"Yes, I see Belgemine." Rydia replied dryly, sounding annoyed.

The woman swallowed, "Oh…well…then I'll tell everyone not to worry."

She scurried off and Izayoi noticed a few more people giving her weird looks.

"Why is everyone looking at me like that?" she asked, somewhat insulted.

Rydia sighed and grabbed her arm, leading her towards her house, "Because you shouldn't be here!"

Cuore started to follow but Rydia shook her head, fake smile on her lips, "I'm sorry, Cuore, but I need to talk to Izayoi alone. Could you go see if Dona needs help at the store?"

The girl was visibly disappointed, "But Dona doesn't like me,"

"She likes you fine," Rydia replied, frowning.

Cuore obeyed, but she didn't look too thrilled by the idea.

Izayoi let the summoner drag her to her house, shove her inside and shut the door before sighing out of annoyance.

"What are you doing here?" Rydia asked, closing her eyes.

Izayoi didn't stop frowning, "I should think it was obvious why I'm here."

The summoner shot her a glare and walked further into the house, grabbing a bowl off the wooden table as she went and depositing it on the kitchen counter before speaking.

Her voice dripped bitterness, "Oh yes, I can guess why you're here. Edge shouldn't send you to do things for him."

"Edge doesn't know I'm here," she retorted, crossing her arms.

Rydia paused, but then shook herself and filled the sink with water, "Then why, Izayoi? Why waste your time coming here?"

"Because, I have questions and you have answers."

"Then ask," she snapped, dropping the bowl into the water with a clang.

Any questions she had were overridden with a new query, "Well first off, why is everyone looking at me like I'm going to murder them."

"The people of Mist don't like outsiders." Rydia answered simply, back still turned.

She frowned, "Then why do you have an inn?"

"Because," the summoner retorted, "they rebuilt the village just like before!" Her voice lowered, and became sadder, "They like things the way they used to be."

She pulled the bowl out of the water and began drying it and Izayoi sighed, walking into the house a little more so she could see her better.

For all her desire to yell at the woman and call her out, for all the questions she had been dying to ask, she now felt as though she needed to change plans.

"I heard you were engaged."

The summoner didn't say anything and didn't stop her actions, which sparked the other woman's temper; a rare occurrence.

"Silence? That's your only answer for me? After we traveled the world together, fought side by side, after you accepted my cousin's affections and then tossed them aside, silence is the only thing you offer me?"

Rydia spun around after slamming the glass bowl on the counter so hard it cracked, "What do you want me to say? Do you want me to cry, to tell you that it wasn't my choice? Do you want me to apologize, to ask you to kidnap me so I can get away from it?"

Izayoi was slightly startled by her outburst and even more so when tears spilled down her cheeks.

She turned away and looked at the now fractured bowl, "Oh, damn…" she sobbed.

Izayoi took a deep breath and walked over, hesitating before laying her hand gently on the summoner's shoulder, "I'm sorry, I know nothing of the situation, Rydia."

"Edge didn't tell you?"

"He's said very little."

Rydia sighed and let the other woman guide her to a chair where she sat and wiped off her eyes. It was then Izayoi spotted the plain gold band around her left ring finger and frowned.

"I'm sorry, then, Izayoi. I assumed you were here to yell at me." she said, smiling weakly.

"Well, the thought crossed my mind,"

She laughed a little, "I wouldn't blame you…"

Carefully, Izayoi sat too, and spoke again, "Explain to me all of this, please, I will admit, I am confused. I thought you loved-"

"I do," Rydia interrupted, "trust me, I do. This, all of this? It wasn't my idea, and I certainly wish it could be different."

There was a pause and Rydia sighed, folding her hands neatly in her lap and telling her story quietly.

"The people of Mist still live in the past, they like things the way they used to be, they like to stay out of the world, to avoid the future. They…believe that I'm taking too long in finding…" she trailed off and Izayoi answered for her, "A mate?"

The summoner nodded, "And, they…implied to me that whomever I chose must have a strong magical bloodline lest the summoners die out forever."

The other woman tracked the ideas easily enough, "They are concerned that since you are the last, you have to have children otherwise the craft will be lost,"

"Yes." Rydia said, glancing up, "So, they picked someone for me."

Izayoi frowned as she continued, "A mage from Mysidia with an important family, I guess, some black mage so my children will have pure blood."

"Have you met him?"

Rydia shrugged, "Once or twice, when I've gone to teach in Mysidia."

Izayoi could tell by her bored tone of voice she didn't care for the man.

"But, how can they make you do this? You're the High Summoner, aren't you?"

Rydia smiled sadly, "Yes, I am, and that is exactly why they can."

At her confusion, the green haired woman explained softly, "High Summoners aren't rulers; we don't tell people what to do. We're…protectors, guardians. We're servants of the people."

"So," the dark haired woman said, making sure she understood, "They're hanging this title over your head to force you into something."

Rydia glared at her, "You make them sound horrible,"

"They are." she replied, giving the other woman a look and wondering why she couldn't see it.

"They're my people!" the summoner snapped, standing up, "They're doing what they think is right, and maybe it is!"

"They are making your choices for you," Izayoi argued, "forcing you to marry someone you barely know! How could you think that this is right? This effects more people then you realize!"

Rydia shook her head, "You don't understand,"

"Then make me understand."

The summoner squeezed her eyes shut, "Without summoners the Feymarch disappears. Slowly, piece by piece, a little here and a little there…one Eidolon at a time. If I died tomorrow, there is no one to carry on that legacy and the process begins with no way to stop it."

Izayoi hadn't thought of the Feymarch, and now she could see Rydia's dilemma. No matter her choice, she could lose a home, possibly two.

"Then, the Eidolons want you to marry this mage?" she asked.

Rydia averted her gaze, "Actually, no, they don't." she whispered. "They want me to do what makes me happy. But, I don't think they really understand what's at stake."

There was a long, silent pause and Rydia walked away, picking up pieces of glass from the earlier incident.

Izayoi sighed and sat back in her chair, annoyed.

"What about Cuore?" she asked at last.

The green haired woman slowed and looked over her shoulder, "I haven't told her yet."

"That's not what I meant. Weren't you going to train her as a summoner? Can't she carry on this legacy you speak of?"

Rydia swallowed and turned fully around to face her, a fresh set of sorrow clouding her face, "The people of Mist won't accept her as a summoner. They want me to…stop training her."

There was more to this story so the woman raised an eyebrow, making Rydia sigh and expand, "There were…reservations about her from the beginning, but then a few weeks ago she nearly lost control of her magic. I think the people here are more afraid of her then anything now."

"Nearly, but she didn't?"

"No, but it was a type of magic that I've never seen before. I think it scared her a little, too. She's already had trouble with…nightmares. She's finding it difficult to cope with her Maenad heritage."

Izayoi knew she had just uncovered the reason for Cuore's friend trouble and found herself growing more and more upset at the people in this village. What was wrong with them?

"They control everything about you," she muttered, earning a sharp glare from the summoner.

"Don't pretend to understand this, Izayoi." she snapped, turning back to the window.

She glared at her back, biting back a few more choice words for her and instead asking, "So, you haven't told her about this marriage?"

"No, not yet. I…don't really know how too."

"She's a smart girl, you think she hasn't noticed?"

Rydia covered the ring with her other hand, "She's also not from here, I don't think she knows how our customs work."

Izayoi rolled her eyes, thinking the summoner gave the little girl far too little credit.

Another moment of silence came over them and Izayoi studied the tabletop, trying to come up with a suitable argument to convince the summoner what she was doing was wrong. But she knew that Rydia would never cave. The woman was desperate to please her people, that much was obvious, and if she didn't do this, she would lose not only them but also her Eidolons. No matter what the ethereal beings said, Rydia would do what she had too to save them; she proved that three months ago with the lengths she went too to rescue them from the Maenad's control.

If summoners were servants of the people, then she was the best summoner to ever live. She was selfless, unfortunately, and in this case it wasn't a good thing.

"Does Edge hate me?"

Izayoi looked up, the question bringing her back to reality, where she did something she had rarely done in the past. Lie.

"No, he doesn't."

Rydia walked over and sat back down, tears coming to her eyes, "We fought last time…I…said things I'm not proud of. I just…"

She closed her eyes and a few tears leaked from her eyes to roll down her cheeks. Izayoi wasn't comfortable with crying, it made her uneasy and she hesitated before awkwardly reaching out to touch her arm.

All it did was make her cry even more and Izayoi winced.

"Rydia-"

"No, no, I haven't really let myself cry, it's not you, Izayoi." the summoner assured her, waving a hand at her but refusing to make eye contact. "You're a good friend, to come here. I'm sorry I snapped at you, I know you don't understand but I _have _to do this."

Izayoi sighed and scooted her chair closer so she could take the green hair woman's shoulders, "Rydia, I wanted answers, and you gave them to me. I just needed to know that it wasn't your idea."

Rydia laughed haltingly through her tears, "It wasn't, and trust me, I wish it could be different."

Izayoi stayed with her for a few minutes until she had stopped crying, and even then she was hesitant to leave her. The summoner was broken at the moment.

Finally Rydia insisted she leave since the people of Mist were uneasy with her being here and she didn't want any trouble.

Izayoi closed the door behind her and had to fight the urge to find all the people of Mist and tell them exactly what she thought of them. Didn't they see how they were hurting their High Summoner? Didn't they care about her?

The whole situation baffled the woman and she would have left then and there if not for needing to see the little teal hair girl before she went. After all of this, the last thing the child would need was two people from Eblan failing to say goodbye to her.

It was easy enough to spot her with the vibrantly colored hair, and Izayoi saw her in a few seconds after stepping away from the door. The girl was sitting in the flower garden next to the house, reading a book that seemed much too large for her.

She looked up at Izayoi's approaching and smiled, but there was a tinge of sadness in her eyes, proving that she had some idea of what was going on.

"I…came to say goodbye."

Cuore blinked, "You're leaving already?"

"Yes, I need to get back."

The girl set her book aside, "Is…something going on? Rydia's so sad lately, and everyone is always whispering…did I do something bad? Is this because of my magic?"

Izayoi knelt in front of her and shook her head, "It has very little to do with you, Cuore. There are things going on around here that you don't know about yet."

She looked down and Izayoi sighed, patience with depressed people nearly gone.

"Listen, I'm not good at dealing with this sort of thing, or with children, but I needed to see you before I left because I don't want you to think ill of me or my cousin."

Cuore looked up, blue eyes wide, "I don't think your bad with children, I think you're really nice. Rydia thinks so too, and why would I feel ill? Should I be sick?"

Izayoi had to chuckle, "No, not sick. I meant I don't want you to think _badly_ of us."

"Oh," the little girl said, "it's incomprehensible to me, all these social structures and double meanings…"

She sighed and looked back up, "But I don't think badly of you or Edge, why should I?"

"…Things are going on that you don't know about yet." Izayoi explained vaguely one more.

Cuore nodded slowly, "I…know."

They sat there for a moment and then the dark haired woman stood, unable to stay in the village any longer and knowing she need to get back to Eblan.

"I have to leave, Cuore, it was good to meet you."

She smiled up at her, "It was good to meet you too, Izayoi. Will I see you again?"

"I hope so, little one."

* * *

It took Izayoi twenty full minutes to apologize and explain herself for why she went to Mist without them. Even then the rest of the Eblan Four were grumpy about it, even Gekkou who had seen her sneaking out.

But then she got down to business; getting their king and the summoner back together.

"Engaged to some guy?" Tsukinowa repeated, carefully creasing a sheet of paper.

Izayoi nodded, perched on the windowsill in the room, "I know, I was equally unhappy with the news."

"And Rydia?" Gekkou asked.

She frowned, "Yes, I was unhappy with her as well, but after I saw her…"

"She has little choice. She is the last of her kind." Zangestu mumbled, watching Tsukinowa fold the paper.

Izayoi looked out the window at the sunset, "There must be something we can do, something that can help us. If the people of Mist would relent, if they would tell her she didn't have to do it, then maybe she would listen to us and to the Eidolons…"

Zangestu sighed, "But we don't even know this man's name, where can we even start to make a difference?"

"When is this wedding?" Gekkou asked, turning to look at her.

Izayoi scowled, "Two weeks, on the night of the full moon, but it will be daytime in Mist."

All three of them cringed.

"Bad timing," Tsukinowa exclaimed, still crafting his paper.

She sighed, "I know, and I wonder if Edge knows the date, too."

They all fell silent.

The wedding couldn't have been on a worse day; it was same day as Edge's birthday. He already hated the day because the kingdom always wanted to celebrate and he said it just reminded him of two people who weren't here to share it with him.

"Wait, this guy she's marrying, he's from Mysidia?" Tsukinowa asked, inspecting the newly formed paper crane in his hand.

"Yes, a black mage, she said." Izayoi explained.

The boy grinned and looked up, finished with his crafting project, "I'll go visit Palom and see what dirt I can dig up."

"You, go to Mysidia?" Gekkou asked, rising an eyebrow.

He shrugged, "Sure, Palom said I can visit whenever I want too."

Izayoi had noticed the boy's friendship with the twin mages when they traveled together but she hadn't thought it would be survived after the final battle.

"Can you stay focused on getting information rather then on Porom?" Zangestu asked, smirking at the boy.

Tsukinowa flushed and looked away, "Shut up and yes, I can."

Izayoi hesitated to send him off, but she couldn't deny the hope his offer brought to life. If they could find something out about the man that would make him unsuitable for the summoner, then the people of Mist might change their minds.

The boy had already gotten out of his seat and placed his paper crane on a nearby shelf with dozens of others before declaring, "I'll leave right now!"

* * *

Tsukinowa had said to give him a few days to get his job done while Zangestu had started working on figuring out if the seneschal of Eblan would help them with this scheme. No one was quite sure where he stood on the topic of their king's chosen love. Despite the attempts they were making to stop this wedding, every hour that passed made Izayoi more and more uneasy. She knew that if they failed, if Rydia was married off to someone she barely knew and didn't love that it would effect the world.

Rydia would be miserable, Edge would be too and probably begin taking stupid risks again and there was no telling how all of it would affect Cuore, the strange little Maenad child. Izayoi sighed and decided she couldn't sit idly by and let everyone else try to fix this. She would go to the source and try a direct approach.

She would do what she never thought she would; defy orders.

Finding Edge was the problem. He wasn't anywhere she expected him to be, even the places he thought she didn't know he went to be alone.

On a whim Izayoi followed one of the hallways and ended up in the library, and it was there that she found him. He was sitting in the back of the room on the floor, apparently ignoring the table and chair right next him, and reading a book by the light of a single candle.

Surprised by her discovery she made her way over to him and let her curiosity guide her eyes down to the book he was reading. It was one of the oldest in the library, judging by its appearance, and the page he was so intently looking at contained a picture of a glorious flaming bird with ancient writing she couldn't read.

Edge glanced up at her, looking tired, and she didn't bother with any pretenses.

"I went to Mist."

He looked angry and she swallowed, knowing she was going to endure more then a little reprimand for this.

"You did what?" he asked, setting the book aside.

Izayoi refused to feeling badly for her actions, "I went to Mist. You weren't giving me answers so I asked Rydia."

"You can't just go to Mist, Izayoi."

She frowned, "I went as your cousin, not one of your Eblan Four."

"And I'm sure the people there just _loved_ that!" he snapped.

His temper had already gone off, but hers had just started to build.

"She's your match, Edge, don't you see that?" she pleaded, opening her hands wide, "When I first came back to Eblan you talked about her none stop! You've never been poetic, but the way you describe her…hair like the finest jade? Eyes that sparkle like the ocean on the clearest day? She means everything to you, I see it, why don't you?"

"I do see it!" Edge exclaimed, standing up to face her, "You think I want to just let her go?"

"You're not doing very much to keep her!" she retorted.

"You don't get it," he snapped, and she narrowed her eyes, sick of hearing those words, "Don't I? You're acting ridiculous! Have you even tried to convince her to not marry this man?"

Edge glared at her, "No, because I know I could!"

He suddenly sighed and turned away, resting his hands on the table while Izayoi stared, puzzled, at his back.

After a moment he explained far more quietly, "I know that if I asked her too, if I pleaded with her, if I used just the right words, I know I could keep her from marrying him. She thinks this is the only choice she has, she's terrified to lose her people and Eidolons and I know that. If I persuaded her to come away with me, she'd been unhappy for the rest of her life. She would hate herself for that choice, and ultimately she would hate me, too."

Izayoi didn't have a comeback for that and stayed silent, pondering his words, when he glared over his shoulder at her, "And none of that has anything to do with you going off without telling me!"

She averted her gaze, "I went to find out what was going on. I went because I want you to be happy."

"Well I'm not, not with you."

She winced, "I'm sorry,"

"You should be." he said, turning back around while she felt a little offended.

"I may be one of your ninjas but I'm still _family_," she said softly, touching his arm.

Edge glared at her and batted her hand away, "Well right now I don't want either,"

Izayoi was actually stung by his words and backed up a few steps, surprised. He never talked to her that way, and she suddenly realized that he might be mad at her for the rest of their lives over this.

Her cousin had sat back down, resolutely ignoring her until she got the message and left the room quietly.

* * *

**Author's Note part 2: **

**I left it on a depressing note...sorry about that. I guess you'll just have to read the rest!** **There will be a longer author's note at the bottom of the final part to explain things.**


	2. Chapter 2

**And here you are, the last part, part 2!**

* * *

"I'm back!" Tsukinowa declared loudly, flitting into the garden with a flourish.

They all looked at him as he came to a stop, no one terribly impressed with his arrival.

"Please tell me you found something out," Zangestu said. Izayoi looked away, only half interested in the news. Edge hadn't talked to her since their fight in the library, and for the first time in her life Izayoi felt like crying. She'd been too young when her parents died to shed a tear, and she'd been too proud to cry after that.

The boy sighed and shook his head, "Nothing that will help us, I'm afraid."

He sat down on the ground and began to recount his trip, "This guy's name is Verian Dahl,"

At their faces he nodded, "I know, right? Anyway, his family is really important in Mysidia, I guess, and in that town, family names are everything. Seriously, you can be the biggest looser but it doesn't matter if your family is well known."

He frowned, "Palom says Verian himself isn't that great of a mage, but his bloodline is strong, which might be why he was chosen."

"Wait," Gekkou said, holding up a hand, "Did the twins agree to this union?"

He looked embarrassed, "They….didn't know until I told them, actually."

"Aren't the twins the joint leaders of Mysidia now?"

Tsukinowa fidgeted, "Well…Palom says that the title they were given is superficial, they don't get to make any of the important calls. He thinks it was just a way to keep him and Porom in the city, since even his sister was growing restless. They don't approve of this marriage, mostly because they know Rydia and Edge, but they don't have much of a choice. The counsel in Mysidia is worried about magic and bloodlines just like Mist. They think magic is going to be gone in a matter of years if people keep marrying outside of magic or…whatever."

"So you didn't find out anything bad about this mage?" Zangestu said, sounding disappointed.

"According to Palom he talks too much. According to Porom he is far to conceited of his own abilities and doesn't grasp magical theories very well."

They all stared at him, even Izayoi through her bad mood.

"I know, not really helpful, huh?" the boy said, "Though…if you ask me, it's way too old for her. It's…kind of creepy, actually."

Gekkou shook his head, "Then we have nothing once more."

"What about the seneschal?" Tsukinowa asked, glancing around at them, "What did he say?"

"He said that he agrees with us but that Edge doesn't listen to him anyway, so he isn't sure what to do. He also says if we have a plan, he's apparently 'in'." Zangestu explained.

The boy chuckled, "Well, that's something…what's next, though?"

They all glanced at Izayoi, but she looked away, "Honestly I don't know. I…talked with Edge about this and he…was not pleased that I went to Mist. I assume he will be less pleased if we try anything else."

"Did you two…have an argument?" Gekkou asked, narrowing his eyes at her.

She frowned at him, "It doesn't matter."

Izayoi turned away, ignoring the looks they were giving her and decided that she wasn't going to explain herself to them, nor was she that inclined to continue this scheming. Her cousin had, unfortunately, made himself clear.

But then Gekkou spoke up, brining to mind something she had thought of.

"What if we asked the Eidolons to not simply speak with the High Summoner but actually to step in?"

"Bold," Tsukinowa said, whistling.

Zangestu rested his chin on his hands thoughtfully, "It could work,"

"One does not simply walk into the Feymarch," Izayoi commented, surprised they would suggest something so radical.

"There's a way into anywhere," Tsukinowa said, smirking, "you just have to find it."

She rolled her eyes, "If you get eaten by a dragon, don't blame me."

He frowned at her but Gekkou was already forming the rest of this plan, "If we could get into the Feymarch I have no doubt the Eidolons would help us. They care about Rydia, and even she mentioned they didn't approve of this."

Zangestu nodded slowly, "The hard part is getting there. It's in the Underworld, and we don't have the ability to get there easily."

"We need an airship," Tsukinowa grumbled, picking at some grass on the ground.

Gekkou glanced at him, "Yes, yes we do…"

Izayoi knew that tone of voice but apparently the boy hadn't picked up on it yet.

There was a long pause, and finally, as if feeling that they were looking at him, he looked up.

"What?" he asked warily.

Zangestu smiled at him, "We agree, we need an airship."

"And that explains you looking at me like that…how?"

Izayoi rolled her eyes and decided to spell it out for him, "They want you to steal one."

"You want me to steal an airship?" Tsukinowa asked, looking scandalized.

Izayoi frowned at his outburst, "Yes,"

"That's impossible." the boy argued.

It was Gekkou's turn to frown, "Impossible? Weren't you a thief?"

"Yeah, years ago," he muttered.

"And didn't you elude the royal guard for all those years?"

He gave them a look, "The royal guard is _terrible_. That's why we're here."

"Exactly, because we're the best." Gekkou replied, luring him in, "And didn't you also help save the world and defeat some great evil?"

Tsukinowa crossed his arms, "With some help! I know what you're doing; it's not going to work. It is impossible to steal an airship without anyone noticing."

"Impossible is a word people use for to often." Izayoi commented, shaking her head.

Zangestu nodded, "It is,"

The boy glared at him and Izayoi sighed dramatically, "I guess if it's too _hard_ for you there's nothing we can do,"

"I know what you're doing," he sang, shaking his head slowly, "It's not going to work!"

"I guess you're alright with letting master Edge be depressed for the rest of his life," Gekkou commented conversationally, "and poor Rydia, too, having to marry someone she doesn't love."

Tsukinowa was glaring at all of them, not that Izayoi or any of the others found his dirty looks intimidating in the least.

But the tactic was working so she sighed one last time and went in for the kill, "I understand you don't believe enough in yourself to attempt this. It's really too bad."

"Oh, shut up," he muttered, uncrossing his arms in defeat, "You win, I'll go to Baron and probably get caught! What, exactly, am I suppose to tell them if that happens?"

"Don't get caught," she said as if it were obvious.

Tsukinowa groaned, "You're a lot of help!"

"Then it's settled, you steal us an airship and we talk to the Eidolons." Gekkou affirmed, sounding confident in this plan.

"Timing may be an a issue," Zangestu pointed out, "We have less then a week left at this point."

"But once you're in the Feymarch, time slows down, that could work to our advantage." Izayoi counted.

"How are we going to get into the Feymarch?" Tsukinowa grumbled, looking put out with the whole plan.

"You're the thief, you figure it out." Zangestu replied with a smile.

"Thanks old man, great advice." he muttered sarcastically.

Izayoi paused, "Perhaps you going alone isn't such a good idea…"

The more she thought of it, the more dangerous this plan actually could be. Not so much the stealing part, as much as Tsukinowa was worried about it, the people of Baron would understand. But the Eidolons, well, that was another matter entirely.

"I agree," Gekkou said, "Zangestu's more accustom to the Underworld, so he can go with you."

Tsukinowa rolled his eyes, "Oh, great, this keeps getting better and better. You realize I don't even know how to _drive_ one of these, right?"

Izayoi frowned at him, unconcerned, "It cannot be that hard, honestly."

"What will you two do here?" Zangestu asked.

Gekkou sighed and glanced at Izayoi, but she shook her head lightly and he answered hesitantly, "I…do not know. We will do what we can. Try and make it back as quickly as possible."

Tsukinowa stood, a sour expression on his face, and waved Zangestu with him, "Come on, we've got an airship to steal…"

* * *

Izayoi was both annoyed at and worried about Tsukinowa and Zangestu. They had failed to make contact since they left in search of an airship and time had run out. She knew they were probably just delayed somewhere but still, they might have run into trouble.

The full moon was hanging low in the sky and she glared at it, wishing they had even one more day to work on their plan.

But time didn't simply stop because you wanted it too and no amount of wishing would change that.

Her irritation only increased when she turned from the window to stare at a set of doors. The last thing she wanted to do on the plant was attend this party. Well, second to last thing. The last thing would be to go to Troia again.

But this would be just as tortuous.

A room filled with annoying people she didn't like that she had to pretend to like and had to listen too talk about how rich they were and how much they were then her and honestly, if she made it through the night without stabbing someone, she would be surprised. Maybe that was why the seneschal had insisted she not have weapons…

"Too many people," she muttered, scowling at the door.

The seneschal had also insisted that she come. He said it was because of her cousin being so depressed, and she knew that was part of it, but it also had to do with flaunting her in public to remind everyone, possibly her included, that she in fact royalty.

"Are you going to glare at the doors all night or actually go inside?" Gekkou asked, stepping to her side.

She frowned and didn't bother to look at him, "If it were up to me, glare all night, but…"

"I'm sure our king would be happy to have you here."

"…Perhaps. Any word from Tsukinowa and Zangestu?"

"No."

Izayoi sighed and tugged helplessly at her gown, hoping to pull it into something less…decorative.

She could see Gekkou out of the corner of her eye give her a once over and she held up a hand, "Not a _word_, Gekkou, not a word or I'll stab you with my poison tipped hair sticks."

"I had a feeling that you attending without weapons was a false hope."

She grinned slightly, appreciating the way he could joke with such a dry and flat tone.

Izayoi finally looked at him and frowned again, "I would love to trade places with you. Even if it is gate duty…"

"Not this time."

She sighed and nodded before pushing on the doors and entering the hell that was a formal party.

It was just like she imagined; the music was too loud, the food was terrible and the people were all fake smiles and shallow talk. Granted, she had managed to avoid most of them for the whole night. After all, she had made herself quite a reputation when she'd first come back to Eblan by successfully turning down every date offer she got and then by joining the Eblan Four. People stayed away from her, too imitated to approach her. Izayoi had to admit, she enjoyed her infamous status.

Besides, she was distracted the whole night by worrying over her friends. Any number of bad things could have happened to them and she felt slightly responsible. It had been her idea to meddle with this whole affair in the first place.

The night passed agonizingly slowly and she kept tabs on her cousin in case he needed to rescue from pesky conversations. She wasn't the only one who might stab someone tonight.

People must have picked up on his bad mood despite his best efforts to hide it because he finally got to sit alone at one of the furthest tables from the main area of the party looking utterly bored and dejected.

Izayoi was staring when she felt a poke in her side and turned to look over her shoulder, spotting the seneschal.

"What?" she asked, slightly annoyed by his intrusion.

He heaved a sigh, his default greeting, before complaining, "I'm going to kill that summoner,"

"Why?"

He pointed to Edge and continued, "Because of _that_! His moods are bad enough without her dumping him."

Izayoi frowned, "It's not her choice, you know."

"Oh please, what is this, the dark ages? Arranged marriages? We got rid of those the same time we got rid of duels to the death."

She raised an eyebrow, "You are aware those still happen, right?"

"Yes," he said, sighing again, "but their not legal."

She realized they had gotten off track and was about to comment on this when the old man spoke again, "Anyway, it was hard enough to convince him to actually come tonight. Can you believe it? Not wanting to come to his own party…"

"He does that every year," Izayoi pointed out tiredly.

The seneschal shot her a look, "Well yes, but still…this looks bad to have him so…_depressed_."

"You would like me to cheer him up?" she guessed.

He hesitated, "If you can. I tried, but…"

Despite how much the old man grated on her nerves at times, he was good person and advisor and she didn't doubt that he truly cared about the king's well being.

Izayoi sighed softly and nodded, "I will try my best,"

He nodded and shooed her out of the corner she'd been hiding in, forcing her into the midst of the chaos. She glared at anyone who happened to make eye contact, set in her mission.

It took her a few minutes to build up enough courage to approach her cousin and then another few to dodge the crowds to actually make it to him. Why did people have to group together in little clusters?

She stopped besides Edge's table and gave him an appraising look before setting a glass in front of him. He stared at it blankly, prompting her explanation, "You look like you need a drink,"

"So you bring me punch?"

"Punch spiked with liquor."

Her cousin grinned slightly and glanced up at her, "Thank you for the thought, but if I have this, I'll start telling everyone what I really think about them."

Izayoi blinked, "I don't think you need liquor to do that."

Edge looked up at her and his expression softened, "Izayoi…"

She waved a hand at him, "Don't, I defied you, you had every right to be mad at me."

"…I wasn't really that mad, more surprised, actually." he admitted, "And, I do need to say that I'm sorry. I took out anger on you that wasn't meant for you. I could tell you were hurt by what I said."

She stayed silent, not wanting to deny anything he said because it was true.

He pulled out the chair next to him, asking in a slightly whiny tone she was sure was used on purpose, "Join me?"

Izayoi sighed as she sat down and she let her gaze wander around the room before circling back and noticing the crown on his head.

Edge must have seen where she was looking because he frowned again, "Seneschal."

She nodded and he gave her a once over, "Gown?"

"See previous."

They both shared a sigh.

"I never though it would be her people who wouldn't approve of us." he muttered, spinning the glass around on the table.

She frowned, "Nor I…Listen, I am sorry about doing what I did. I just…wanted you to be happy."

"I know," he said, giving her a half smile, "And, I don't think I ever told you that I was glad you came back. To Eblan, I mean."

She snorted and leaned back in her chair, "Well, I certainly wasn't going to stay and continue to make flower crowns…"

He chuckled and she recalled a memory, smiling lightly as she spoke, "Do you remember that time you asked me about soul mates? It was a few months before your parents sent me to Troia."

Edge paused to think about it and then closed his eyes and nodded, "Oh, _that_. Yes, I remember that. I had overheard my parents talking about how much trouble it was going to be to find me a wife and, well, I was a little annoyed with them for not asking me about it."

Izayoi chuckled, "You were what, fourteen?"

"Yes, and at that time girls were still icky. Why would I want to get married?"

She nodded, "Yes, you came to see me, all serious, and asked if I thought that everyone in the world had one person they were supposed to be with, one perfect soul mate."

Edge shook his head, looking embarrassed, "I still remember the look you gave me, like I was some sort of fool for asking such an obvious question."

"I told you that, of course everyone had only one person they were supposed to be with." Izayoi said, remembering the way she'd been so confused back then what that had to do with anything.

They shared a smile and Edge sighed, "You're a good cousin, Izayoi, and a good friend."

She blinked, surprised, and he added, rolling his eyes, "And just so we don't have to have another _conversation_, you're a good ninja, too."

She had to smirk, glad he had added that section but still pleased to, for this night, be family.

There was a pause, and in the lull she whispered, "They would have liked her."

"I know," Edge agreed, smiling sadly.

Izayoi glanced around the room once more, trying to stifle her frustration about the whole situation. She felt terrible for her cousin and for Rydia. The two of them were apparently destined to be miserable.

"Did you…like her?" he asked carefully, looking back to her.

Izayoi blinked, "Of course."

"Really?"

She scowled, "You needn't be so surprised, of course I liked her. She had her faults, yes, but I respected her, and I trusted her."

"But did you _like_ her?" Edge asked, putting an emphasis on the word 'like'.

She sighed and nodded, "I did. I considered her my friend."

He seemed pleased by this answer for some reason and Izayoi had to wonder why it even mattered, the two of them weren't going to be together, so what did it matter if she liked Rydia or not?

"I want to…" he trailed off and she finished for him, "Sneak out of here?"

"Yes," he winced, "seneschal would murder me if I did that."

Izayoi had to smirk at that, but then she looked around. No one was paying that much attention, and she did feel badly for him.

"I'll find us a way out, if you like." she offered quietly.

Edge looked at her, surprised, "Really?"

"You obviously don't want to be here." she replied.

He smiled, "I don't, but I thought you were here to make sure I stay put."

She blinked and he chuckled, waving a hand at her, "I would love it if you found a way out."

Izayoi stood, but he grasped her wrist to stop her, asking, "Now, are you doing this my cousin or as one of my most trusted ninjas?"

She tossed her hair, "Both,"

As promised, she searched the large room for the easiest and fastest exits and also kept track of how many people were paying attention and where at any given moment the seneschal was. He was going to be the most difficult to avoid since he was used to keeping his eyes open.

Suddenly she noticed the glass rattling in a nearby window and frowned, walking over to look out.

Her eyes widened, "They did it!"

She hurried out of the room, ignoring a few strange looks and slipped onto the nearest balcony, joining Gekkou who was already there.

"I see you also heard it,"

"Airships are hard to ignore," she replied, looking up at the noisy craft hovering nearby.

Tsukinowa waved like an idiot from the deck of the ship, "Hello!"

"I can't believe they actually pulled this off," Izayoi muttered, crossing her arms, "A little late, though."

Gekkou nodded to who was driving the aircraft, "Maybe not a perfect heist."

She rolled her eyes but was distracted when both their fellow teammates jumped onto the balcony, and the boy couldn't wait to announce his victory.

"Ta da! An airship," he declared, sweeping an arm.

"I am…impressed," Izayoi admitted grudgingly.

He grinned and Gekkou frowned, "Obviously you did have trouble, though."

"Not really…"

"Then why is Cid driving it?"

Tsukinowa rolled his eyes and Zangestu explained, "He caught us."

"No, he didn't catch us, he caught you."

"That depends on how look at it,"

"How so, old man? I was already on board."

"You couldn't figure out how to get it started, boy."

Before the fight could continue, Izayoi cut in, "Did you go to the Feymarch?"

"We did," Zangestu said, nodding.

Tsukinowa shrugged, "Well, we didn't actually go inside, we got stopped inside the cave and were told we didn't belong and all this stuff but, we met an Eidolon…Que…" he trailed off and glanced at Zangestu for help.

"Quezacotl."

"I thought it was Quetzalcoatl?"

Gekkou cleared his throat and they continued their tale, "Anyway, he…she…_it_ promised to pass along our message."

Izayoi breathed a sigh of relief, "Well done."

They both winced, "Well…"

"What?" she asked, disappointed.

Tsukinowa frowned and looked away, "We heard the wedding's still on, which means it's probably happening right now. Apparently even the Eidolons couldn't convince her not to go through with it."

"Damn," she muttered, crossing her arms.

Any further discussion was interrupted.

"Why is there an airship nearly landed on my balcony?" Edge asked, not seeming terribly surprised by it.

They all exchanged a round of glances and Gekkou shoved Izayoi forward to explain. She glared at him.

"Yes, why indeed?" the seneschal, who had followed his king outside, asked, scowling.

"Well…" Izayoi started, rubbing one hand over her arm.

There was a shout from the airship, "Hey!"

All eyes turned to Cid who was at the controls, somehow managing to yell over the spinning blades.

"Are we crashing a wedding or what?"

Edge sighed and looked at Izayoi, "Crashing a wedding?"

"We had hoped to stop it before it started," she explained.

His expression was hard to read, but she hoped he wasn't upset with her again.

Cid hollered again, "Hello?"

"Yes, we can all hear you, Cid," Edge complained, waving a hand at him, "But there isn't going to be any wedding crashing." He sighed, "Rydia's made her choice, I'm not going to-"

Cid cut him off, "So, we're not going to Mist?"

"He's slow on the uptake, huh?" Tsukinowa muttered to Zangestu, who nodded.

The engineer continued, "If you ain't going, I'm going! That girl didn't even tell us she was getting married! Cecil and Rosa are not happy and neither am I!"

"How'd you find out, then?" Edge asked, confused.

"The twins!"

Tsukinowa laughed nervously, "Oh, huh…I….wonder how they found out…"

"Look, I know we would all like things to be different, but no one is going to crash this wedding." Edge said firmly.

"I am!" Cid called down.

The king sighed and Izayoi glanced up at the ship and then back again, "I'm going too."

"What? Izayoi," he warned.

She frowned at him, "I think you're scared she'll say yes to you but I think you're equally scared she'll say no."

He looked like he wanted to argue, but then snapped his mouth shut, prompting her to continue, "You may think she'll regret coming with you for the rest of her life but I _know_ you'll regret this if you don't at least try."

Edge hesitated, and Cid, still screaming over the noisy airship, spoke up again, "Come on, Blade,"

"Just once you'd think he'd get my name right…"

"Let's go get the girl and crash a wedding!" he finished, tossing a ladder off the side of the airship. Tsukinowa was first to scramble up it, "I've never gotten to crash a wedding before!"

Zangestu and Gekkou followed, and Izayoi looked pleadingly at her cousin, "Come,"

"I can't just leave and go there and…what would I even say to her?" he asked.

Izayoi sighed, grasping the ladder with one hand while trying to come up with a compelling set of words. The seneschal beat her too it and physically pushed Edge a few feet forward, towards the ladder.

"Hey, what-"

"Oh for the…just _go_ already, please!" the old man begged, rolling his eyes, "I for one am sick of hearing about her. Go to Mist, tell her you love her, ask her to come back here with you, marry her, make her queen and just _be done_ with it already!"

He sounded exasperated and Izayoi smiled at his support, however pushy it was.

"You're okay with this?" Edge asked his advisor, surprised.

The man sighed heavily, "You make up problems where they're aren't any. Yes, I approve, she's good for you, _go_!"

Cid whooped, "We're off! Come on, slow poke, let's fly!"

True to his statement, he started to pull the airship up and Izayoi climbed a little higher and tightened her hold on the wooden rungs.

"Edge!"

He shot her a look, "What would you have me do?"

"I would have you get what you wanted for once in your life," she retorted, holding out her hand.

He only hesitated for a fraction of a second more before taking her offer and her hand.

Once safely on the ladder, Edge whispered to her, "I'm going to get you back for this, somehow, sometime, Izayoi."

She grinned, "I will accept whatever you come up with so long as we bring Rydia back."

* * *

They approached Mist, and from overhead the town seemed even smaller. Izayoi's eyes were still finding it difficult to adjust to the daylight after flying in from the night.

She was leaning over the railing, trying to get a better look when Edge stopped beside her, "Izayoi?"

"Yes?"

"…I need to know, do you…approve of Rydia?"

She gave him a funny look and stood up straight, "Are you asking for my blessing?"

"I…guess so." he replied awkwardly.

She tipped her head to one side, "Do you need it?"

"No, but I'd like to know I have it. You're the only family I have left." he explained, shrugging.

Izayoi smiled, "Then you have it."

He shared her smile and then it faded before he asked, "What if…she says no?"

"There's always the second option."

"Which is?" Edge asked, looking confused.

Izayoi grinned, "Kidnapping her and locking her in your dungeons until she loves you."

He chuckled, "I can honestly say I had not considered that,"

Amused, they laughed a little before he looked around, "Wait, where are we…"

Turning around he called to their driver, "Cid! Where are you landing this thing?"

"In the middle of the town!"

"In the…" Edge closed his eyes, "Great, her people are going to _love_ this…"

Cid cackled, shifting the gears on the airship to make it descend, "Relax, Katana, don't you know how to crash a wedding properly?"

Izayoi and Edge both looked at each other worriedly, and then gripped the railing as the ship came to a bumpy halt.

True to his word, Cid had put them down on in the middle of Mist, scattering people in every direction.

Izayoi could hear the murmur going through the gathering and noticed that the airship had, in fact, squashed a table and some chairs and a few of the flower arrangements.

Cid waited for no one and shouted, "Hey! Rydia!"

Izayoi was half surprised Bahamut hadn't already been summoned and winced, pulling out enough courage to stand and look over the railing for the green haired woman.

"Cid?" Rydia asked, pushing past a few people to get a better look at the ship.

She spotted the passengers on ship and her confusion rapidly turned to rage.

Tsukinowa winced, "Whoa, I forgot how scary she got when she was mad."

Her hands were on her hips and she glared at them, "I'd ask what you're doing here, but I suspect I already know."

"Is it an attack?" someone asked.

Rydia was still glaring at the airship, "No, I wish…"

Cuore ran forward, eyes wide, "Oh wow! A real airship!"

She brightened even more and went up on her tiptoes to wave, "Hi Izayoi! Hi Edge!"

Izayoi and Edge both waved back and she whispered, "Now's your chance,"

"To what, die?" he retorted.

The summoner did look extremely annoyed, but also quite nice in her white dress and beaded headdress.

Cid lowered the ramp on the airship and Edge glanced back at them, commenting, "Wish me luck…I'm…probably going to need it."

"If it looks like she's going to murder you, we'll step in." Tsukinowa promised helpfully.

"Which one's Verian Dahl?" Izayoi asked the boy quietly.

He pointed to someone who looked bored and was busy inspecting his nails.

"I hate him," Zangestu said, sounding surprised, "I hate him and I don't even know him."

"He is too old for her," Izayoi conceded, frowning.

"I know, on both counts!" Tsukinowa agreed.

Gekkou waved them towards the ramp, "I for one want to hear this,"

They all scurried after him and Izayoi took a moment to glance at the people of Mist, most of whom seemed too stunned to fully understand what was going on.

An old man, probably the mayor judging by how he was dressed and how he had stepped forward, was glaring daggers at all of them.

"Sorry about the parking job," Edge said waving an arm back at the airship.

The mayor scowled, "What do you think your doing?"

"I need to talk to Rydia,"

"Well, I-"

Edge ignored him, "Yeah, I know, but I need to talk to her."

He grabbed Rydia's arm, and besides glaring at him she didn't argue when he pulled her away from the crowd, back towards an open space closer to the airship.

And thankfully close enough to the Eblan Four that they could listen in.

"This is so typical," Rydia hissed at him accusingly.

Edge looked insulted, "What is?"

"Coming here, now? Crashing my wedding? You couldn't have come here a few days ago?"

"Hey," he said, tipping his head towards the Eblan Four, "it wasn't _my_ idea."

"And having the Eidolons talk to me?" she countered.

He turned to glare at the Eblan Four, who suddenly found nearby buildings and trees more interesting then the conversation happening in front of them.

"Also not _my_ idea."

Rydia shook her head, anger not appeased, "And now? You show up here, to what? Ask me not to marry him? Ask me to run off with you instead?"

"…Something like that, yes."

She crossed her arms, "And what do you expect me to say in reply? That I'll leave everything for you, that none of this is important?"

Edge shook his head, "Expect? No, I expect you to say no, or say yes and regret it. But you have to understand that I needed to come here and ask."

She seemed surprised and her expression softened, "You shouldn't be here,"

"Why not?"

"Because!" she whispered frantically, "You're making this harder then it has to be."

Edge sighed, "Well, I'm sorry, but this isn't just about you, Rydia, this involves me, too."

She closed her eyes and hugged herself, "No, it doesn't! We're not…you don't have anything to do with this anymore. You shouldn't have come, you're just making it harder on both of us."

"I needed to come here, to at least ask you not to do this."

"And I'm telling you I have no choice!"

Izayoi wanted to smack the summoner but was distracted by someone tugging on her long skirt.

She glanced down and saw Cuore, flowers in her hair and a worried look on her face.

"Stall for time!" she whispered.

"What?"

The little girl was already bounding away and called back, "I'm going to get help!"

Izayoi wasn't sure what her plan was, but if things looked to be going badly, she would stall.

Somehow.

"What do you want, Rydia?"

She blinked, "I…what?"

Edge set his hands on her shoulders, "What do you want?"

She paused to think about it, "I…want to do what's right."

"That's obviously a lie, so, what do you really want?" he pressed.

Rydia glared at him, "I want you to leave!"

"I don't believe that," he snapped back.

Izayoi sighed, realizing that they would have to have an argument first before anything could get accomplished.

The mayor interrupted, "We have a wedding to do!"

Edge rolled his eyes, Rydia sighed, and the Eblan Four all glared at him. He seemed to get the message and fell silent, leaving them to their conversation.

"If you can look me in the eye," Edge said, lowering his voice, "and tell me that you actually want to marry him, then I'll leave and pretend to be happy for you."

Rydia hesitated and then looked to the ground, "Of course I don't want too, but…I have too, I have no choice. Of course I wish I could be…marrying you instead…but that can't happen."

She moved to pull away, but he grabbed her wrist, "What if you weren't High Summoner?"

Rydia looked startled by his question, "Are you asking me to give up everything for you? Is that what you want? I can't anymore then you can, don't you get it?"

Verian Dahl had been thankfully quiet for this whole exchange, but now he spoke up, "Are we getting married or not?"

Rydia sighed and Edge glanced over at him and then at the mayor, "I know you don't want her marrying me, but surely you could have done better then…_him_."

The mayor frowned and Verian glared at him, "Excuse me, I'm from a powerful lineage of black mages, who do you think you are?"

Tsukinowa made a face, "Is he serious?"

"Apparently," Zangestu said, shrugging.

Edge was equally unimpressed, "Um, I _think_ I'm a king, a ninja, a hero…saved the world twice, you know. Oh, by the way, what were you doing when the Water Crystal got stolen?"

Izayoi stifled a snicker at the collected ripple of uneasy that was going through the gathering. Rydia had simply raised a hand to her forehead looking embarrassed.

Verian narrowed his eyes, "That is all fine and good, but magic is all that counts."

"You realize I have magic, right?"

"…I find that doubtful."

"Do you want to test that theory of yours?" Edge asked.

Rydia threw her arms up and sighed loudly, "Stop it, both of you!"

They fell quiet, but continued to glare at each other across the field.

Izayoi felt something brush her foot and looked down to see a few coils of mist rolling along the ground. Cuore came running up, panting with a wide smile on her face.

"Cuore, did you get Mist Dragon?"

The little girl nodded up at her, "Sure did. I know the other Eidolons talked to her already, but…"

"What's happening now?" Verian grumbled, sighing.

Rydia looked around, "Mist, now is really-"

"_Listen_,"

An awed silence crept over the whole village and even the birds seemed to still at the sound of the guardian's voice.

"_Dear one, we know that you fear for us, but that is no reason to do what makes you sad_."

"I will do what I have too, I've already made up my mind." she replied stubbornly.

The mist had rolled through the whole town by now and it spoke again after a whisper of a sigh.

"_Then I shall speak to the people of Mist, those that survived the fire but have no connection to the Feymarch_."

At that the people shifted uneasily, and the fog swirled around their feet.

"_Do you think that High Summoner Madain would approve of this? Can you abide with your decision? You are forcing this on your High Summoner_."

Rydia hugged herself again when the ethereal voice mentioned the other name and Izayoi guessed it was her mother.

"What would you have us do?" a woman asked, opening her hands, "Everything we've known is gone, and it could be gone again in the blink of an eye!"

"_Things change, time flows, the world grows…you cannot stop this_," Mist Dragon said, voice calm and soft.

"We have done what we have too to ensure that our future lives! If she was a worthy High Summoner, she would do this for us." the mayor insisted.

"Hasn't she done enough for you already?" Edge asked.

Rydia turned back to him and shook her head, "Don't,"

He ignored her and stepped away to address the crowd, "She's already lost everything once, given up years of her life and spent countless days rebuilding this place, all for you! Didn't you scatter to the four corners of the world after the fire? Didn't she find you and convince you to come back? Didn't she use magic to fix the earth around here so it would grow again?"

There was another murmuring that passed over the people and he continued, "Now you ask her to give up her future to ensure yours, to marry someone she barely knows? How much more are you going ask of her?"

A few people were looking quite guilty, and Rydia had her eyes closed, but an unreadable expression on her face.

"It's not fair," Cuore said, voice wavering. All eyes turned to her and cowered back a little before speaking up, "It's not fair."

"No, it isn't…" Rydia muttered.

Cuore swallowed and clutched her hands to her chest, "I thought…I thought the ability to make choices was what made us human? The Maenads…they never had a choice. They listened to their Creator, did whatever he told them to do. But, aren't humans different? Don't you…get you chose your own future?"

"We do," Edge said, nodding at her.

"_The Eidolons do not approve of this marriage_," Mist Dragon said, her substance starting to retreat, "_At least provide the High Summoner the chance to choose between her duty and her happiness_."

There was a long pause and finally the mayor spoke up, "Fine, chose then, High Summoner, I suppose it's only fair. You already know everything that will happen, whatever she decides."

Rydia swallowed and hesitated and Izayoi didn't envy her in this moment at all. It all rested on her, and she was no doubt torn.

Before the summoner could speak, the woman from Izayoi's last visit stepped forward, "Wait,"

Rydia glanced at her, "Belgemine?"

"I…don't want you to do this. It's not worth it." the woman explained, expression pained.

She shook her head, "But if I don't-"

"I knew your mother, Rydia," the older woman pleaded, "she…would be disappointed in us. All of us, for forcing this on you, for asking so much. We respected and loved her and she died to protect us."

Belgemine turned to the mayor, "We shouldn't ask even more from her daughter."

He seemed unmoved, but she continued, turning back to Rydia, "I want you to know that I don't approve of this and that I want you to be happy and I've seen how much this has upset you over the last few weeks. I knew you when you were little, so please, think this through before you decide."

Belgemine had opened the way, and a few others seemed to nod in acceptance of her words while another stepped forward.

He appeared hesitant to speak, but Belgemine nodded at him, and that seemed to spur him into speaking.

"I was lucky, much more so then many others in the village…I escaped the fire, and I ran and never looked back."

At mention of the fire the mood grew darker, more reserved and less turbulent from the earlier excitement.

"I…was hiding, and I remember Rydia coming, personally, to find me in Kaipo. She told me she was going to try to rebuild Mist, she said she was trying to find everyone that survived."

The man smiled a little, "I told her it couldn't be done, I was…actually rather rude to her. I thought it was a dream and nothing more to rebuild this place. Wouldn't it just get destroyed again? It wasn't like the world felt any differently about summoners then they did before. But…" as he trailed off, he looked at Rydia, and they obviously shared the same memory as he spoke, all traces of uncertainty gone.

"She got that look, you've all seen it, and told me that it was a dream, hers, and that whatever had been destroyed could be rebuilt. She said she wanted me to come, but she couldn't make me. We shouldn't make her, either. Rydia is our High Summoner, and I have never known another to be so deserving of that title. She cares about us, and about the Eidolons, and that's the only reason she would even consider marrying someone she doesn't love."

"I agree with Isaaru," another woman said from the crowd, drawing attention to her.

"Ginnem," the mayor said, seeming surprised.

She shook her head, "I know, I want the world to have summoners in it but…"

She looked at Rydia, and then away, letting her gaze wander so she didn't have to focus on anything specific.

"I'm scared of the future, I'm scared that everything we know will be ripped away again," Ginnem said, speaking hastily, "but I also know that you must be scared, too. And how can we go against the Eidolon's wishes? Even without being summoners, we live linked to them, everything we do is because of that connection. If the Eidolons are not afraid, then we shouldn't be either, and if the Eidolons don't want you to marry Verian, then we shouldn't make you."

Despite the influence of the brave villagers, Rydia didn't look completely convinced and seemed far more upset then anything. Izayoi was grateful to the people who had spoken up, but so many of the villagers seemed to agree with the mayor that this was right idea. They were fearful, that much was obvious, and they saw Rydia as their only hope. It was far too much pressure on the summoner, anyone could see it.

Rydia glanced down and in that moment Cuore bolted from Izayoi's side and hurried over to grab the woman's hand and clutch it between both of hers.

"I'll go to Mysidia if it would help, Rydia," Cuore said softly, looking up at her with those innocent blue eyes.

The summoner's expression was a mixture of confusion and distress, "Mysidia? Why would you go there?"

"The mayor and Verian were discussing sending me there because of my magic."

Rydia looked up, eyes narrowing into slits of wrath, focusing first at the mayor of Mist and then at Verian Dahl.

The mage seemed unaffected, but the mayor had the good grace to break eye contact guiltily.

She spoke with authority, voice faltering slightly, hand tightening to hold her adopted daughter's, "No one is sending you anywhere, Cuore, not unless you want to go."

The girl bit her lip, "I don't, I want to stay with you, but I don't want to cause trouble for you, either, so I'll go."

Laying her free hand on Cuore's shoulder Rydia shook her head, obviously trying not to lose control, "You belong with me, and you'll stay. They can't make you go."

The girl looked puzzled and dropped her hand, "But, they can make you marry someone you don't want too." she pointed out.

Rydia seemed startled by the reflection, and Izayoi admired the girl's strength and hoped these last few words would change the summoner's mind.

Instead, she squeezed her eyes shut, hugging herself in comfort while she weighed her options.

No one moved for a moment, giving Rydia a chance to think over her choices, giving her that chance to decide what she truly wanted to do.

But then Edge sighed softly and set his hands on her upper arms, turning her back around to face him.

She looked positively miserable and started to speak, only to have him silence her with a shake of his head.

"No, Rydia, I already know what your choice is, and it's alright. It's not how I thought it would be, but…if you can abide with it, than it's alright."

Izayoi had to strain to hear their conversation since he was keeping his voice low, probably to avoid the nosy gathering from overhearing. But she was resisting the urge to ask him what he thought he was doing, talking her out of not going through with the wedding.

Tears filled her eyes and Edge cupped her face, smiling sadly, "Please don't do that, you know how crying effects me."

She lowered her face, taking a shuddering breath, before murmuring, "You asked me what I want? I can't have everything that I want…"

"Oh Rydia," he whispered, stroking her cheek, "I'm so sorry. I didn't want to hurt you by coming here, I didn't think I could actually change your mind, but I had to try."

"I know," she replied, bringing her hand up to touch his, "and…I'm glad you came."

Rydia finally raised her eyes again and smiled sadly at him before backing out of his arms.

Izayoi went to step forward, to do what even she wasn't sure, but someone held her back. Whoever it was, she was both pleased with them and angry at. Pleased that they stopped her from doing something possibly deadly and angry that they would let this contemptible wedding continue.

Rydia had already half turned back to her people, but Edge still held loosely to one of her arms and spoke one last time, doing a remarkable job of keeping his voice even.

"I love you, Rydia, I always have and I always will, no matter what."

She hesitated, but then closed her eyes and pulled all the way free, turning her back to them and taking a few steps forward.

The summoner stood before the mayor and paused before speaking, her voice clear and tinged with only slight regret.

"I'm sorry, but I can't do this. I can't marry someone I barely know and don't love simply because of fear. I'm scared too, the Eidolons mean the world to me, the Feymarch was my home when I had none, but they have made it clear what they want for me."

He looked surprised, and she sighed, shaking her head, "I want to please everyone here, but I also have to do what I think is right. If you want to rescind my title as your High Summoner, I accept that."

There was a pause, but then Belgemine hurried forward and embraced the green haired woman, smilingly brightly, "Oh, we would never do that," she glanced over her shoulder at the towns people, "Would we?"

There was a tone in her voice that left little room for argument, and most of those gathered murmured agreement or nodded their heads. Only a few seemed dissatisfied with this turn of events.

Rydia smiled at her as she was released, "Thank you, but I would understand if you were disappointed in me. I…needed someone to tell me it was alright no matter what I decided."

Next she turned to Verian, who still seemed bored by this whole venture.

Freeing her finger from the plain band she walked over and held it out to him, "I'm sorry Verian, I can't marry you, and I'm fairly certain you didn't really want to marry me, either."

He stared at the ring for a moment, sighed and took it and then shrugged, "I must admit, it wasn't my idea, but I didn't object. I doubt anyone would if they had the chance to marry you, High Summoner."

He took the news well, and Rydia smiled slightly, though it faded when he continued proudly, "Of course, I hope this choice of yours won't be the end of the summoner legacy."

Izayoi rolled her eyes, and then reached for one of her hair spikes with his final, parting words.

"If you ever have regrets, my bloodline is strong, and you know where to find me."

Rydia glared at him as he headed for the entrance to the town and Izayoi barely stopped herself from not making a move. If anyone should have the chance to hurt him, it was the summoner.

Quite a few of the villagers seemed pleased by his departure, proving once again that not all of them approved of the arranged marriage.

Rydia finally returned to those at the base of the airship, smiling tenderly and placing her hand flat against Edge's chest.

"I chose you," she informed him.

The Eblan Four shared a collective breath of relief.

"Rydia, are you sure? The last thing I want is for you to regret this, the last thing I want is for you to be unhappy. Is this what you truly want?"

Izayoi wanted to smack her cousin for trying to talk her _out_ of being with him after everything they had already done.

She laughed, "Now you ask me this?"

"I just-"

Rydia put her hand over his mouth, effectively cutting him off, "Stop talking and kiss me already."

At least he was smart enough to follow her commands and pulled her hand away to use it as leverage to draw her close, kissing her with one arm around the back of her shoulders and the other hand tangled in her hair.

Izayoi kept an eye on the villagers to make sure they were truly alright with this, but she could tell from the looks on their faces that, for the most part, Rydia's decision was accepted. Even the mayor, although worried, looked happy enough to spare a smile.

But still, she couldn't shake the feeling that this was completely over; there was always a chance that the people here would be discontented with their summoner, possibly forever.

She glanced back at Rydia and her cousin and decided that it didn't matter. So long as they were happy and together then everything was right in the world and the people of Mist could get over it.

And, judging by the way they were kissing, she had a feeling things were already fine.

Cuore caught Izayoi's eye and winked, a small smile on her face, prompting her to think proudly, "_That child is devious_!"

Rydia was breathless when they parted and giggled before whispering, "Now, let's fly out of here before my people trap us wanting to ask questions and have a celebration!"

It was said in light teasing, but everyone got the hint she wasn't being completely sarcastic.

She turned and held her hand out to the little Maenad girl, "Cuore, I should ask if you're okay with this…do you want to come with me?"

The girl rushed forward and grabbed her hand, "Of course! About time, too."

"Of course she wants to come," Edge said, shrugging, "She gets to be a princess and I get to spoil her rotten."

"Please don't tell her that!"

"Why? It's true…"

Rydia frowned and sighed, "So I'm going to be the bad parent?"

"You can indulge her too," he pointed out, giving her a tug towards the ship.

As they passed the Eblan Four, Rydia skidded to a halt to smile at Izayoi, "Thank you,"

She nodded; just glad the whole ordeal was over and done with. She never wanted to interfere that much again; it was far too exhausting.

As the couple walked up the airship ramp, Cuore in toe, Rydia admitted shyly, "I…was hoping you'd come here today and stop the wedding."

Edge stopped to look at her, "Then why were you so angry at first?"

"Because," she complained, "I may have wanted it but I still needed to be convinced it was alright to be selfish for once…"

He sighed, exasperated, "Are you serious? Do you have any idea what you put me through?"

She looked away guiltily, "I'm sorry,"

"It's alright, but you should be glad I had help. I may not have come at all." he told her.

Rydia nodded and looked around at everyone present, "I know, and I'm grateful."

"You're going to need one hell of an explanation!" Cid called, interrupting as usual, "You didn't tell no one about this! The two of you are in so much trouble."

Rydia winced, "I suppose I am…"

"Can't we just pretend it never happened?" Edge suggested, shrugging, "I mean, everything's back to the way it was, so…"

"Nice try, but no!" Cid retorted, "You'll have to hope everyone will overlook it in favor of being happy for you two."

They exchanged a glance, but Cid was quite done yet, "I think you could've done better then both of them, but at least ninja boy here has money."

Edge glared at him, "Thanks,"

Rydia snickered, putting one hand over her mouth to muffle the sound, "Well, actually, he already gave a bunch to Mist so…"

She paused and then mentioned, "You know, we should have used that…they owe you."

"What, you're the payment for my help with the rebuild?" Edge said, frowning, "That's tacky, and a little disturbing."

"It doesn't sound any more insane than an arranged marriage to keep magic in the world." she commented.

"…True." he conceded, "And I have money…I still need to get you a ring. What do you want? A diamond? _Two_ diamonds? Something more exotic? Maybe an alexandrite?"

Rydia giggled and shook her head, "I don't care, I don't need anything fancy."

"No," Edge argued, "I'm getting you something impressive so everyone will know your mine."

She heaved a sigh and rested her head on his shoulder, "Whatever you'd like."

They boarded the ship and Izayoi followed, sighing in both tiredness and satisfaction; her plan had its problems but it was successful in the end.

She glanced at the other members of the team to make a comment on this but was distracted by Tsukinowa lagging behind.

"Tsukinowa, come on." she said, slightly annoyed.

The boy hesitated at the end of the ramp, "But, look at all that food. It's going to go to waste!"

"Are you serious?"

He frowned, "I happen to be hungry."

"Come on," Zangestu said, pushing him along, "we can eat when we get home."

"Fine," he grumbled, pattering up the wooden bridge.

Izayoi rolled her eyes and took one last look at the town and then the airship. She let herself feel victorious for a moment before slipping back into the role she was most comfortable with. Mist Dragon happened to be right; time flowed, the world grew and things did change. You couldn't stop it, and sometimes, it was for the best.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**I'm going to try to not be too hard on my own story...but I could be.**

**ANYWAY, I know I made it seem like the people of Mist were...well, jerks, but I hope their point of view made sense, too. They have a point, you know. **

**No, Tsukinowa being a theif isn't cannon, but I've said it before and I'll say it again; so many people in these games have no backstory and need one! And this came out of the fact that he has the 'steal' command and is the only one of the Eblan Four who does, so...**

**The time difference. I mentioned in this story that if it's night in Eblan then it's day in Mist. This is because it bothers me that you can jet-set around the world and no time passes. Granted, the world is itty-bitty, but still, just look at our world. Although, after I came up with this I actually looked at the map of Final Fantasy IV and...well, I didn't realize how close Mist actually was, so...but never mind that; creative lincese.**

**And because I know someone will be wondering; Alexandrite is a real gemstone that changes colors depending on the light source from bluish-green to purplish-red. It is natural, although there is also a synthetic version of the same stone. In short, it's like a magical stone.**

**I think that just about covers it...thanks for reading!**


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